By Sally Soles
As a Realtor with 17 years of experience in the industry and founder of the Smart Service Sales System™, I take the pain and worry away so you can spend your time with, and focus on, what matters most - your family. Because that's what this is all about.
What to do to add value to your home before going on the market.
Clients are always asking, “If I do “X” to my house, will I get that back when I sell it?” Or “How much will “X” add to the value of my home?”
The true answers to these questions will change depending on what you’re doing and what geographical market you’re in–think swimming pool in Arizona vs. swimming pool in Pennsylvania. In one of these markets a pool is considered almost a necessity, in the other, it can be seen as a liability. Online search engines are full of such examples—for example, one boasts you can get 102% return on your investment by installing a new steel front door. Is that true? There’s no way to know for sure. Perhaps that study was done by a steel door manufacturer…
The two main things you have to consider when you are selling are: local market conditions and what your target buyer demographic is. These are the MOST important considerations for how to prepare your home to sell. Before you ready your house for sale—identify your buyer pool, and then prepare your house with them in mind. One example would be a single level home in Northern Virginia is a sought after home style at present–that’s your market condition. Who’s buying these homes? That’s your target demographic. The group buying these homes are the empty nesters—the aging Baby Boomer generation. What do they want?—conveniences and no stairs. Knowing that, add those things to your home that will make life convenient for these buyers—-think shower stalls and upgraded electronic interfaces throughout the house. These types of upgrades will appeal to a broad range of buyers, but especially to your most likely buyer.
What also helps is a consultation with a professional stager. A simple consultation can yield benefits that pay dividends to your bottom line. Stagers will walk through your house with you and discuss each space/room for its primary use. Then they will offer suggestions of how to arrange items you already have to present the space at its best. We live in “our stuff” daily. It’s hard to see our own home through the eyes of someone else, but it is essential when getting your home ready to sell. This is where the advice of valued professionals comes in.
If you need help figuring out what to do to get your home ready for sale, call or email us for a no obligation review. We are ready to help!
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